Tongue-lid package

ABSTRACT

A package ( 2 ) has a case ( 4 ) formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and having an open end ( 12 ) at a top thereof; a tongue lid ( 6 ) rotatably connected to a rear edge of the open end ( 12 ) through a lid hinge ( 26 ), the tongue lid ( 6 ) having a lid portion ( 5 ) for opening/closing the open end ( 12 ) and a tongue ( 7 ) connected to a tip end of the lid portion ( 5 ) through a tongue hinge ( 28 ), in which the tongue ( 7 ) is superimposed upon a front wall ( 14 ) of the case ( 4 ) when the lid portion ( 5 ) is in a closed position; and an inner holder ( 10 ) contained in the case ( 4 ), the inner holder ( 10 ) having a recessed area ( 10   a ) for holding a content, wherein the case ( 4 ), the tongue lid ( 6 ) and the inner holder ( 10 ) are made of transparent or translucent material, and the recessed area ( 10   a ) is positioned away from a bottom wall ( 20 ) and side walls ( 18 ) of the case ( 4 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a package, and more specifically, to a tongue-lid package.

BACKGROUND ART

Various kinds of containers for accommodating contents have been developed to fit property of the contents. A hinge-lid package is a well-known container for accommodating, for example, tobacco products, such as filter cigarettes and cigarettes.

For example, a tongue-lid package shown in Patent Document 1 has been proposed as a modification of the hinge-lid package.

A publicly-known tongue-lid package comprises a box with an open end, a lid for closing and opening the open end of the box, and contents contained in the box. The contents include a bundle of rod-shaped smoking articles and a wrapper enclosing the bundle. A package of this kind is usually made of paper.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

Patent Document 1

Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-49134

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

Most publicly-known tongue-lid packages are of a simple paper box type and of much the same design, so that they are not catchy enough to encourage people to buy.

The invention has been made in light of the foregoing circumstances. It is an object of the present invention to provide a package having a simple structure and inducing customers to buy.

Means for Solving the Problem

In order to achieve the object, a tongue-lid package comprises a case formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and having an open end at a top thereof; a tongue lid rotatably connected to a rear edge of the open end through a lid hinge, the tongue lid including a lid portion for opening/closing the open end and a tongue connected to a tip end of the lid portion through a tongue hinge, in which the tongue is superimposed upon a front wall of the case when the lid portion is in a closed position; and an inner holder contained in the case, the inner holder having a recessed area for holding a content, wherein the case, the tongue lid and the inner holder are made of transparent or translucent material, and the recessed area is positioned away from bottom and side walls of the case. Therefore, the content in the recessed area appears to be floating within the case.

The inner holder has a box-like shape and includes a rear wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls defining the recessed area. The shape of the inner holder is therefore convenient for being put in and out of the case. The content is held by the rear, bottom and side walls within the recessed area.

The bottom and side walls have a hollow structure, providing a given gap between the inner holder and the bottom, side and rear walls of the case.

More specifically, the side and bottom walls have an inner wall portion defining an inner surface of the recessed area and an outer wall portion. The outer wall portion is protruding from a virtual plane including the rear wall. The outer wall portion thus well absorbs external force acting on the case from outside, and prevents the content from being applied with the external force.

The case includes a front wall, a U-shaped notch formed in an upper edge of the front wall, and a slit formed in the front wall and located under the notch. The tongue has an insertion claw for inserting into the slit. The tongue lid is held in a closed position by inserting the insertion claw into the slit.

The content preferably includes a bundle of cigarettes and an inner wrapper enclosing the batch. In this case, the cigarettes are well prevented from being deformed.

Advantages of the Invention

According to the invention, the case, the tongue lid and the inner holder that compose the tongue-lid package are all transparent and colorless, so that the content can be seen through the package. The package thus has an unique design and arouses customers' interest.

Since the bottom and side walls of the inner holder have a hollow structure, the inner holder well absorbs external force acting on the case from outside and prevents the content from being directly applied with the external force, thereby successfully protecting the content.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tongue-lid package according to an embodiment in a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the package shown in FIG. 1 in an open position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the package shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section of the package shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross section of the package shown in FIG. 1.

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a tongue-lid package 2 comprises a case 4 and a tongue lid 6 connected to the case 4. The tongue lid 6 has a lid 5 and a tongue 7. An inner holder 10 is contained in the case 4 and holds an inner pack 8. The inner pack 8 will be described later. In the present embodiment, the case 4, the tongue lid 6 and the inner holder 10 are made of transparent and colorless synthetic resin material.

The case 4 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and has an open end 12 at a top thereof. More specifically, the case 4 includes a front wall 14, a rear wall 16, a pair of side walls 18 and a bottom wall 20. As is apparent from FIG. 2, the front wall 14 has a notch 22 in the center of an upper edge thereof. The notch 22 has a substantially U-like shape and forms a part of the open end 12. The notch 22 allows an upper portion of the front wall 14 of the case 4 to be wide open, and makes it easy to take out a product contained in the inner pack 8. The front wall 14 further has a slit 24, which is located under the notch 22. The slit 24 extends along a lower edge of the notch 22, and has arc-shaped ends.

The rear wall 16 has an upper edge formed as a lid hinge 26. The lid 5 of the tongue lid 6 is connected to the rear wall 16 through the lid hinge 26, and is turnable about the lid hinge 26.

In the present embodiment, the side walls 18 are connected to the bottom wall 20 through rounded corners. The front and rear walls 14 and 16 are rounded in ends of lower edges thereof so as to correspond to the rounded corners.

When the tongue lid 6 is turned about the lid hinge 26, the lid 5 of the tongue lid 6 opens/closes the open end 12 of the case 4. When the open end 12 is closed with the lid 5, the tongue 7 of the tongue lid 6 is superimposed upon the front wall 14.

More specifically, the lid 5 has a rectangular shape of the same size as the open end 12, whereas the tongue 7 has a semicircular shape. The lid 5 and the tongue 7 are connected to each other through the tongue hinge 28. The tongue 7 is turnable about the tongue hinge 28 in relation to the lid 5. The tongue 7 has an insertion claw 30 in the center of a tip end portion thereof. The insertion claw 30 is obtained by forming a cut in the tongue 7. When the tongue 7 is superimposed upon the front wall 14, the insertion tab 30 has a semicircular shape of convex toward the lid 5, that is, a semicircular shape facing in an opposite direction to the tongue 7. The insertion claw 30 is insertable into the slit 24 of the front wall 14.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the inner holder 10 has a shape of a box similar to the case 4, and includes a recessed area 10 a in a front face thereof. The recessed area 10 a is of a size capable of receiving the inner pack 8, and opens in an upper end thereof. More specifically, the inner holder 10 has a rear wall 32, a pair of side walls 34 and a bottom wall 36. The recessed area 10 a is defined by inner faces of the rear, side and bottom walls 32, 34 and 36.

When the inner pack 8 is held in the recessed area 10 a of the inner holder 10, the inner pack 8 is surrounded by the rear, side and bottom walls 32, 34 and 36 of the inner holder 10. The bottom of the inner holder 10 has a configuration matching with an inner face of the bottom of the case 4.

More specifically, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a given gap is left between the rear wall 32 of the inner holder 10 and the rear wall 16 of the case 4. In order to secure this gap, the bottom and side walls 36 and 34 of the inner holder 10 have a hollow structure, which opens only in a rear face of the inner holder 10. In other words, the bottom wall 36 has an inner wall 36 c, an outer wall 36 d, and a space 36 e left between these inner and outer walls. The inner wall 36 c is connected to the rear wall 32, whereas a rear edge 36 a of the outer wall 36 d is protruding from a virtual plane including the rear wall 32 as much as length of the above-mentioned gap.

The side walls 34 also have inner walls 34 g, outer walls 34 f, and spaces 34 e left between the respective inner and outer walls. The inner walls 34 g are connected to the rear wall 32, whereas rear edges 34 a of the outer walls 34 f are protruding from the virtual plane.

As is illustrated in FIG. 3, the rear wall 32 has an upper wall 34 d in an upper end thereof. The upper wall 34 d connects upper walls 34 c of the side walls 34 to each other.

As is clear from the foregoing description, when the inner holder 10 is contained in the case 4 together with the inner pack 8, the recessed area 10 a of the inner holder 10, or the inner pack 8 in the recessed area 10 a, is set away from the bottom wall 20 and the side walls 18 of the case 4, and the case 4, the tongue lid 6 and the inner holder 10 are all transparent. For that reason, the inner pack 8 in the inner holder 10 appears to be floating within the case 4.

The inner pack 8 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. As is obvious from FIG. 5, the inner pack 8 contains, for example, a bundle of rod-shaped tobacco products 38 and an inner wrapper 40 enclosing the bundle. The tobacco products 38 are preferably slim filter cigarettes. The filter cigarettes each have a length of 98 mm and a peripheral length of 22 mm. Aluminum deposited paper may be used for the inner wrapper 40. The aluminum deposited paper includes base paper and an aluminum film deposited onto surfaces of the base paper. Such aluminum film not only protects the tobacco products 38 from moisture but also prevents the aroma of the tobacco products 38 from escaping. Instead of the aluminum deposited paper, laminated paper may be used for the inner wrapper 40. The laminated paper is provided inside with a shielding layer blocking moisture and aroma. The shielding layer may be made, for example, of paraffin wax.

When a consumer buys the package 2, the tongue lid 6 of the case 4 is in a closed position (see FIG. 1). In this state, the consumer first picks up the tip end portion of the tongue 7 of the tongue lid 6 from the front wall 14 of the case 4, and pulls the insertion claw 30 out of the slit 24 of the case 4. This action disengages the tongue lid 6 from the case 4 and allows the tongue lid 6 to be opened. After this, whenever the tongue lid 6 is opened by the consumer, the inner pack 8 is exposed from the open end 12 of the case 4. By removing a part of the inner wrapper 40 of the inner pack 8, the consumer can take out a tobacco product 38 from the inner pack 8.

When closing the tongue lid 6 later, the consumer covers the open end 12 of the case 4 with the lid 5. The consumer then puts the tongue 7 onto the front wall 14 of the case 4 while inserting the insertion claw 30 of the tongue 7 into the slit 24 of the case 4. The tongue lid 6 is accordingly maintained in the closed position.

In order to keep the tongue lid 6 in the closed position, the tongue 7 may be inserted between the front wall 14 and the inner pack 8. In such an aspect, too, the tongue lid 6 reliably keeps closing the open end 12 of the case 4 and the notch 22.

When the tobacco products 38 in the inner pack 8 are all consumed, the consumer retrieves the inner holder 10 from the case 4, and sets a new inner pack 8 into the retrieved inner holder 10. The consumer then can insert the inner holder 10 in the case 4 together with the new inner pack 8. Accordingly, the package 2 of the present invention can be refilled with the new inner pack 8, which means that the package 2 is reusable.

According to the package 2 of the present invention, since the case 4, the tongue lid 6 and the inner holder 10 are all transparent and colorless, the inner pack 8 can be seen through the case 4. Held in the inner holder 10, the inner pack 8 appears to be floating within the case 4. Consequently, the present invention provides an unique package and greatly arouses consumers' interest.

Since the bottom and side walls of the inner holder 10 have the foregoing hollow structure, the inner holder 10 well absorbs external force acting on the case 4 from outside and prevents the inner pack 8 from being directly applied with the external force. In particular, slim and long filter cigarettes are key tobacco products targeting women, filter cigarettes of this type are relatively easy to be deformed when receiving external force. However, whenever the package of the present invention is used as one for filter cigarettes of this type, the filter cigarettes are reliably prevented from deformation. In general, as women often carry a package for tobacco products in a bag, the package in the bag more easily receives compression force than other contents in the bag. Under such a situation, however, the package 2 of the present invention can successfully protect the filter cigarettes contained inside.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but may be modified in various ways.

For example, the package 2 of the present invention may be used instead of an ordinary package of hinge-lid or tongue-lid type. In the case of the ordinary package, the inner pack contains twenty filter cigarettes of normal size. The filter cigarettes each have a length ranging from about 85 to about 95 mm.

The case 4, the tongue lid 6, and the inner holder 10 do not have to be transparent and colorless, but may be colored as long as being transparent or translucent.

The package 2 of the present invention can be used for containing not only tobacco products but also foods including confection and the like.

REFERENCE MARKS

2 package

4 case

5 lid

6 tongue lid

7 tongue

8 inner pack

10 inner holder

10 a recessed area

12 open end

14 front wall

16 rear wall

18 side wall

20 bottom wall

22 notch

24 slit

26 lid hinge

28 tongue hinge

30 insertion claw

32 rear wall

34 side wall

34 a rear edge

36 bottom wall

36 a rear edge

38 tobacco product

40 inner wrapper 

1. A tongue-lid package comprising: a case formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and having an open end at a top thereof; a tongue lid rotatably connected to a rear edge of the open end through a lid hinge, said tongue lid including a lid portion for opening/closing the open end and a tongue connected to a tip end of the lid portion through a tongue hinge, in which the tongue is superimposed upon a front wall of said case when the lid portion is in a closed position; and an inner holder contained in said case, said inner holder having a recessed area for holding a content, wherein: said case, said tongue lid and said inner holder are made of transparent or translucent material, and the recessed area is positioned away from bottom and side walls of said case.
 2. The tongue-lid package according to claim 1, wherein said inner holder has a box-like shape and includes a rear wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls defining the recessed area.
 3. The tongue-lid package according to claim 2, wherein the bottom and side walls have a hollow structure. 25
 4. The tongue-lid package according to claim 3, wherein the side and bottom walls have an inner wall portion defining an inner surface of the recessed area and an outer wall portion; and the outer wall portion is protruding from a virtual plane including the rear wall.
 5. The tongue-lid package according to claim 1, wherein: said case includes a front wall, a U-shaped notch formed in an upper edge of the front wall, and a slit formed in the front wall and located under the notch; and the tongue has an insertion claw for inserting into the slit.
 6. The tongue-lid package according to claim 1, wherein the content includes a bundle of cigarettes and an inner wrapper enclosing the bundle. 